http://ir.take2games.com/ReleaseDetail.cfm?ReleaseID=258238 More at link. I think April is the earliest it could come out if I read this stuff correctly. edit: I was off by a quarter I think. Their Q2 starts in February and goes through the end of April.
While I'm somewhat disappointed about the delay, with Mass Effect, Super Smash Bros Brawl, Super Mario Galaxy, Assassin's Creed, Metroid Prime 3, Halo 3, etc. coming out within 2 months of GTA IV's prior release date, it may turn out to be for the best. I would rather it have been Assassin's Creed or even Mario, but that leaves more time to play GTA when it is actually released.
Yeah, even though this was probably the biggest title of the holidays, I think there is more than enough games being released on all 3 platforms to keep gamers happy (assuming more games don't get delayed of course...little worried about Assassin's Creed). Of course, this certainly won't help Sony and Microsoft move a lot of systems this year though. I'm sure they were really counting on the GTA fans buying one of these systems during the holidays. BTW, the delay was due to technological challenges. And Manhunt 2 is basically on indefinite hold (not even on their 2008 release list) until they can get a M rating (either through an appeal or by editing the content in the game IIRC).
I heard that only the Wii version got an AO, because the actual motions that the player uses to simulate the killing methods were too realistic or something like that...
Some think it is becuase They are having problems developing for the PS3 http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=27326
I'm pretty sure they were just having problems with both platforms. Obviously, it makes sense that the PS3 version is a little behind since they haven't show it publicly (though supposedly it is only a week or so behind the 360 version). On the other hand, the recent previews of the game (using the 360 version) made it sound like there were a lot of technical issues with the game that needed to be worked out. It makes sense that they would need a little more time to get those glitches ironed out. I'm skeptical that Take Two made a deal with either company to have the game release on both platforms on the same day (although obviously they'd aim to do so); I'm guessing they would have liked to avoid the hit their stock took if they could have released one of the versions this year. Such a deal would put the company at risk, one that could have been avoided I would think. I'm sure there are plenty of issues with making a next-gen GTA game for two platforms simultaneously (instead of one, like Rockstar is used to doing), especially with the technical challenges provided by both platforms that Rockstar already discussed (PS3/Cell development, lack of HDD and storage on 360, etc). Not quite as good of story as this other one, but that seems to make the most sense to me. edit: And if it was PS3 development issues, Rockstar/Take Two better get those problems straighted out before they put out their PS3-exclusives.
They did. AFAIK, basically the people in charge of rating the game felt that there was nothing in the game that justified the amount of violence and graphic content in the game. They may have allowed it had this all fit within the overall context of the game, but apparently they didn't think it did. I wouldn't doubt it if Rockstar was being judged unfairly though (especially when compared to what gets approved for R rated movies). But that's a whole other topic.
So with the PGR4 developer saying that the 360's DVD size prevented them from having true day/night with the appropriate textures, is there any chance that GTA4 for 360 is having similar storage problems?
Haven't really looked into the PGR4 thing, but I wouldn't doubt that this may have been one of the technical challenges they were facing, although I'm not sure how much of an impact it had. The lack of a standard HDD may have had a greater influence on things (read some rumors saying that maybe Rockstar was waiting for MS to discontinue the core...doubt it though). Of course, I'm sure there were challenges due to developing on the PS3 as well, which I sort of mentioned earlier.
